


Circles, Cycles

by ichikonohakko



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Angst, M/M, Mystery, a xxxholic yoi au, in which yuuri is the shopkeeper of wish shop and victor is a customer, you don't have to know xxxholic to read this tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-09-16 15:48:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9278585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ichikonohakko/pseuds/ichikonohakko
Summary: Viktor Nikiforov found himself being dragged into a shop that sells wishes.(And to a beautiful man who had the deepest brown eyes and the loneliest smile)





	1. Chapter 1

When you can see things that are not supposed to be seen, life is bound to get interesting.

Viktor Nikiforov has never once questioned this in his life. But as expected, having your feet suddenly drag you into a very suspicious mansion located in the middle of skyscrapers were out of his expectations. Viktor has seen ghosts of bloody warriors when he was practicing for Sochi winter Olympics back home in St. Petersburg, or the ghosts of people who died in the snowstorm when he was in Vladivostok, but never once did he get dragged to a place against his will.

He let his feet take him, though, because it was interesting. He instantly realized that the air had shifted around him, and Yakov didn’t even register that he was gone even when they had been standing next to each other. It was exciting, in a way, so Viktor smiled and let himself walk into the shop.

“Welcome!”

What greeted him was a boy with clear brown skin, smiling like he had just met an old friend. Viktor smiled back to him, although a bit sheepishly. “Hello?” The boy’s eyes crinkled as he smiled the widest smile. “A guest for the master! A guest for the master! Come, you have been awaited!” The boy took Viktor’s wrist and led him to a Japanese-style sliding door.

“Mas--!”

“Come in.”

The boy opened the door enthusiastically and a sudden whiff of smoke assaulted Viktor’s nose, making him cough. The boy sauntered over to the source of smoke without even a cough and he hugged the man sitting sprawled on the sofa with a satisfied expression.

If Viktor had to describe the man, he would say that the man looked _exotic_. He was wearing kimono very loosely his entire chest was showing, and he was smoking with a bright blue pipe. His eyes were the most calming shade of brown that was a rare sight, Viktor had never seen them before in his life. He wore a blue-rimmed glasses that seemed to contradict his entire outfit, but he looked positively delectable.

“Welcome, Mr. Nikiforov.” His smile was beautiful, but beyond that, it was very mysterious. And it was positively _tempting_. “What can I do for you?”

“Oh, I’m sure that there are plenty of things you can do for me,” Viktor smiled. “But I haven’t got the slightest clue why I am here in the first place. So I guess you can tell me why I am here?”

The beautiful man widened his eyes, but then he burst into a giggle of laughter as he pet the boy who was hugging him like a cat. “Aren’t you going to ask why I know your name?” His expression was odd, Viktor thought, because he looked irrevocably _fond_. It was as if Viktor had surprised him in a very pleasant way. Now that he thought of it, he never once mentioned his name. Not to the boy or the beautiful man before him.

“An answer for that will be nice as well.” Viktor added.

The boy laughed before whispering to the man’s ear with sheer glee. The man laughed alongside him, leaving Viktor to deduce what they were whispering to each other.

“My name is Yuuri, Katsuki Yuuri.” The beautiful man—Yuuri had his gaze on Viktor, piercing and beautiful. "And this child is Phichit. Phichit Chulanont. Isn’t it a cute name?” The boy rubbed his cheek to Yuuri’s own, chanting ‘A cute name! A cute name!’ excitedly. Viktor had the strangest feeling about their interaction.

It brought him an acute sense of déjà vu.

Yuuri seemed to notice his silence because he shifted from his sprawling position and beckoned Viktor to come closer. Phichit moved to take a water basin in the corner of the room and placed it in front of Yuuri. “What is your name?” Yuuri asked.

“Don’t you already know that?” Viktor answered. Yuuri had the strangest look of loneliness on his face as he smiled towards Viktor, cracked and nervous. “Yes,” he whispered. “But I would like to listen to it from your own lips.”

“Viktor Nikiforov.”

“Birthday?”

“December 25th.”

Yuuri’s smile was lonely, and Phichit’s smile was not a beam of happiness he had been showing for the duration they had seen each other. It brought a pang of _something_ within Viktor’s heart, he was so utterly _sure_ that there was something he missed here.

“I see… I see…” Yuuri gazed into the water basin, his brown eyes glowing. The smoke all around them gathered around the basin and showed them images. Phichit moved to take the man’s glasses his eyes never leaving the water in front of them.

Viktor could see himself on the water. He could see himself practicing like crazy for Sochi, for the Four Continents, for Grand Prix, and it was all he could see.

Yuuri must think him pathetic. He was 27 years old and yet his life was not really a life at all. There were other snippets, though, like his meeting with Christophe and Yurio’s excited expression when he promised to choreograph a short program for him, but other than that his life was just endless amount of practice.

“Viktor Nikiforov… Viktor Nikiforov…” His pronunciation of Viktor’s name was _flawless_. He didn’t notice it before, but Yuuri seemed to say his name with practiced ease. It was as if he had said it a lot of times before…

“You are a hardworking person, though people seem to stamp it all to your genius. You have lived a fairly ordinary life, working to surprise everyone around you. But you have fallen into a slump recently, haven’t you?” Yuuri’s eyes was on his, ruthless and cold, piercing Viktor’s heart. He didn’t even say anything to Yakov and Layla, how could this man—?

“Though you can see things of the netherworld, you are not fazed by it. You even gain an interesting philosophy of life because of this ability. It seemed that we are mistaken then, Phichit. Viktor doesn’t need to see us.” Then his eyes returned back to its former brown, he closed his eyes and pinched them with his fingers.

Phichit looked absolutely stricken by Yuuri’s words. He gazed at Viktor with fearful eyes before gazing back at Yuuri. He offered the man his glasses with trembling hands and he was biting his lower lip so hard it may draw blood.

“B-But… Master, you’ve waited so long for—“

“Phichit.”

The room’s temperature seemed to drop with a single word he uttered and Viktor flinched. Again, it brought a certain feeling he _couldn’t_ quite place. A mix between regret and déjà vu. He felt the utter need to comfort Phichit and to take Yuuri in his arms, calming him before he destroyed— _what?_

Viktor fell to his knees.

“I’m sorry for taking your time, Mr. Nikiforov.” Yuuri’s smile was beautiful, but it was also very sad and lonely. It looked _wrong_ on the other’s face and Viktor so wished to take him in his arms and make the rightful smile bloom on the other’s face. The man stood up from his sofa and went over to Viktor’s place.

He smelled so _so_ familiar, like someone Viktor should know _just because_ , but he couldn’t recall anything. Not even when Yuuri had his hand on Viktor’s face, grasping his cheek with such warm and gentle touch. “You are not the one I seek…” he whispered, eyes closing but he brought their foreheads together in a slow and gentle motion. “And yet you too, have a wish. This place is a shop, Mr. Nikiforov. A shop to grant wishes…”

“I, well, I don’t have any wish…”

Yuuri let out a small chuckle that was oh so beautiful, yet strange. It was as if this wasn’t the Katsuki Yuuri that Viktor know… but Viktor didn’t _know_ any Katsuki Yuuri.

Did he…?

Yuuri pulled him into a hug and they glowed together. Viktor could see Phichit from Yuuri’s arms, the boy was crying to his hands, but then Yuuri pushed him away and kissed him on his forehead.

It felt dear, and nostalgic, and _something_ that Viktor couldn’t quite place and yet was undoubtedly _there_. He… he…!

“There. You will find a way to alleviate your slump soon, Mr. Nikiforov.” Yuuri then let go of him, eyes kind and fingers even kinder as he brushed Viktor’s hair with them. The man gave him a mysterious smile and went back to the sofa he was sprawled on.

“Phichit, please show him out.”

Phichit rose from his seat and rubbed his eyes. He ran over to Viktor with a smile on his face and grabbed his wrist.

“Wait, I—!”

“Goodbye, Viktor, it is always nice to see you again…” Yuuri waved as tears leaked from his eyes as he gave Viktor the most brilliant smile. Phichit didn’t stop, he dragged Viktor out of the room while the older man struggled. “Wait, who are you?! You are…!” Phichit was biting his lower lip as he dragged Viktor out of the mansion and into the gates.

“It would be nice… if you remember something the next time you come here, Master Viktor.” Then with a sad smile on his face, he pushed Viktor out of the gate.

And then the world changed. Viktor could feel it with his entire body. It was warmer, brighter, more colorful, and he felt as if he could skate and surprise everyone with the routine he just thought up. Yakov was next to him, asking why he was seated in front of a barren and desolate empty lot. His mind felt lighter, but his heart felt very heavy.

It felt like he missed something important _this time too._

And now he had to repeat it _again_.

 

 

 

 

_How many times has it been? When will it be over?_

Then the world was plunged into darkness.

 


	2. Bonus: Phichit Chulanont

It didn’t have a name.

It had nothing.

And yet it was alive.

How?

“Please don’t refer to yourself that way, it makes me sad.”

The creature before it was superior, far superior to it, and yet the creature regarded him with kindness. Why?

“You have a name,” the creature said, their hand outstretching to touch it and it was afraid that coming in contact with such a superior being will crush it into pieces. But the creature’s hand was gentle on its head. “And you have me.”

It braved itself to speak.

“You… are…?”

A smile, beautiful and lonely, was bestowed upon it, and it was so immensely grateful.

“I am so _lonely_.” The creature cried and hugged it close. And it felt…

It _felt_.

 

* * *

 

The creature was once a human, he said, and his name is Katsuki Yuuri.

And he gave it a name, too, because he said that he didn’t like addressing it as it so it was given a name.

“Phichit Chulanont,” Katsuki Yuuri looked fond, as if recalling a distant memory, it didn’t question him. “You suit that name. You look just like him.” Then it was shown a mirror.

It didn’t look like an it, it looked like human- like Katsuki Yuuri. It had brown skin, dark eyes, and black hair. It was dressed in long flowy robes and Katsuki Yuuri had the same lonely smile it saw the first time it came to existence.

“Not _it_ , my dear child. You are never an it…” Katsuki Yuuri ruffled his hair gently. “Well… Phichit-kun was a he… so you are a he as well? But if you feel like changing it, I will refer to you as you see fit.” _My dear child_. Not only Katsuki Yuuri treated it— _him_ like his own child, it— _he_ was also _dear_. Phichit Chulanont looked at Katsuki Yuuri… and smiled.

 

* * *

 

It took years, but Katsuki Yuuri was patient.

Phichit Chulanont was not human. Yet Katsuki Yuuri taught him everything humans do with boundless patience. Katsuki Yuuri was nothing but kind, deft fingers showing Phichit Chulanont how to cook and how to clean. How to help Katsuki Yuuri dress up and how to fetch things from the treasury. But most of all, Katsuki Yuuri taught him how to speak.

Phichit Chulanont once asked why Katsuki Yuuri teach him to speak when he can read his mind, Katsuki Yuuri answered with a lonely smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“For the sake of the one I’m waiting for…”

Phichit Chulanont never asked him again.

 

* * *

 

Phichit Chulanont was helping Katsuki Yuuri sweep the yard when a visitor came.

Phichit Chulanont was surprised to see a person came because Phichit Chulanont had never seen anything other than Katsuki Yuuri. Phichit Chulanont hid behind Katsuki Yuuri and clutch his hand hard.

“I’m sorry,” Katsuki Yuuri said to the human. “This child is not used to strangers. Please come in, you must have something you wish from me.” The human smiled at Phichit Chulanont and told Phichit Chulanont to not be afraid. The human had wanted a certain thing from Katsuki Yuuri’s treasury and Katsuki Yuuri had given it to him. Katsuki Yuuri asked Phichit Chulanont to retrieve the item and Phichit Chulanont gave it to Katsuki Yuuri, who then gave it to the human.

“He is such a good child.” The human said as the human stared at Phichit Chulanont. Katsuki Yuuri ruffled Phichit Chulanont’s hair and smiled a grateful smile. “Thank you, Phichit.” His smile looked beautiful.

Phichit smiled back.

 

* * *

 

Yuuri liked it more if Phichit called him just ‘Yuuri’.

Yuuri said it reminded him of the person whom Phichit was modeled after, a human from Yuuri’s distant past. Phichit asked Yuuri to tell more stories about him.

And Phichit was happy that Yuuri used to smile and laugh with another Phichit that he didn’t know.

 

* * *

 

“Phichit, you are very important to me…”

“Why?”

“Because if it weren’t for you, this shop couldn’t have existed the way it does. So thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Master Yuuri.”

 

* * *

 

Phichit was playing with water balloons in a hot summer day when a customer came with a confused yet amused look on his face.

Phichit wasted no time to greet him, smiling like he was taught to do in front of customers. He guided the tall man to the living room where Yuuri was currently reading to escape the summer heat with merry steps and chatters.

When he entered the room, Yuuri looked absolutely _shocked_. But not at Phichit, but at the human beside him.

“Vitya…”

Phichit knew that name.

Yuuri sometimes whisper it on his sleep. He would sound like he was sad, and sometimes he would wake up in tears. Yuuri would always quick to whisper that he’s okay, that Phichit didn’t need to worry. But the name lingered.

Yuuri ran towards the human, his loose kimono fell and revealed his shoulder as he tackled the human into the floor, hugging him.

“Vitya, _Vitya_ … I… I’ve waited for _so long_ and you’re finally here- I-“

“Ah…hahaha…” The human chimed a nervous laugh. “Not that I mind a beautiful man like you jumping into my arms but… who are you? Why do you know my name? And… what is this place?”

Yuuri’s eyes widen, tears pooling in the corner of his eyes and Phichit felt _sad_. He had never seen Yuuri so happy before and they had spent so much time together. His expression was so full anguish that Phichit, who had never felt anything akin to sadness before, felt his heart twist and his eyes watering and he felt so…

Yuuri seemed to compose himself faster than Phichit, because he was already standing and smiling at the customer. “My name is Katsuki Yuuri,” Yuuri answered with that smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “And I’m the owner of this shop.” Yuuri went towards the sofa and sat himself there, he beckoned Phichit to come closer. Phichit obeyed him without a word, settling himself on Yuuri’s lap like he so often do on lazy rainy days.

The customer furrowed his brows. “This is a shop? What do you sell?”

“I sell wishes,” Yuuri answered. “I will grant any wish you have in return for a suitable price.”

“Wow, amazing!  What a convenient store!” The customer beamed, his blue eyes sparkling beautifully that Phichit had to sit up and admire it. But Yuuri’s hands clenched into fists and Phichit could see that he was holding his breath. “Yes, it is quite amazing. And the fact that you are here means you have a wish. Would you…” He looked so hopeful, so sad, and so _miserable_ it actually scared Phichit. “Would you tell me your wish?”

The customer looked confused, as if he was contemplating his choices, he then smiled and clapped his hands. “Well, I wish that I can get rid of this stupid slump. It’s making my hobby, my profession, a chore and I don’t like that…”

Yuuri’s face fell, his hands trembling and he looked extremely upset. _But why?_ Phichit thought, earning a surprised look from Yuuri. His Master then ruffled his hair and went over to the customer’s place. He kissed the human on the lips and they glowed.

“There, I am sure that you will think up a great choreography for your Programs, Mr. Nikiforov. Please see him out, Phichit.” Phichit stood up and went over to escort the customer out. The customer struggled and Phichit banished him to the world outside the shop, he heard the other scream.

“How do you know my name?! How do you know that I’m a figure skater?!”

Phichit went inside to find Yuuri inside the treasury, curled up to an old kimono that he never wore, crying like a child. Phichit left him to the kitchen, trying to make some food to make him feel better.

 

* * *

 

Yuuri didn’t stop crying for the rest of the night.

His voice echoed throughout the shop and it _hurt._

 

* * *

 

“Are you saying that Vitya will keep returning to this shop without ever remembering me? Does that mean I will never see _my_ Vitya again?”

The voice in the other line was firm, unshakeable.

_“You have to wait for the one who remembers you. Ones who do not remember you are not your Vitya, though he is Viktor Nikiforov nonetheless.”_

“What do you mean?”

_“Every Viktor Nikiforov who comes to your shop will be the real Viktor Nikiforov. There are no fakes, or creations, they are all Viktor. But your wish is to meet_ your _Viktor Nikiforov; so those who do not consider you his even after touching you is a Viktor Nikiforov that does not belong to Katsuki Yuuri. And it means that you will keep paying the price until you meet your Viktor.”_

The room was silent, and Phichit couldn’t hear anything through the sliding door.

Then Yuuri let out a strangled sob. Phichit was so tempted to go to him and comfort him, but he remembered the stern expression on Yuuri’s face when he asked Phichit to not enter the room.

“It’s so… painful…”

_“I know. Waiting is always painful, especially to those who can’t do anything else but wait.”_

 

* * *

 

Phichit learned the man’s name is Viktor Nikiforov and he was Yuuri’s most precious person.

Phichit had once ask Yuuri who Viktor Nikiforov was, and Yuuri, with his saddest smile had answered:

“He is everything that I am, and everything that I love.”

Phichit wished that Viktor Nikiforov, whoever this being was, would hurry and end Yuuri’s sad smile.

 

* * *

 

In the last five decades, Viktor Nikiforov had come three times.

And never once did he remember Katsuki Yuuri.

Phichit was afraid that Yuuri might be losing hope, because the store kept flickering in and out and it was only because Phichit was there that it remained in existence.

 

* * *

 

This Viktor had questioned who Yuuri was, just like the very first Viktor, but he too, didn’t remember.

So as Phichit pushed him away from the shop, he smiled a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and hope:

_It would be nice… if you remember something the next time you come here, Master Viktor._

And he returned inside, where Yuuri once again had curled himself around the dirty kimono as he had when the first Viktor came eighty years ago.

Yuuri once said that he had waited for a long time even before Phichit was created, never aging, never moving forward. And Phichit was a creation, he would not die unless his creator die or will him to disappear…

They had an eternity to wait for the Viktor Nikiforov that remembered Katsuki Yuuri, and Phichit Chulanont will stay with his creator for all that eternity.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol at that little easter egg when Yuuri is talking to a mystery person that Phichit doesn't know behind the door. It's up to reader's interpretation with whom he was talking to, of course. But for me, it's a certain someone from xxxholic universe obviously <3
> 
> Well, I hope you enjoyed this. If you have any idea, feel free to discuss it with me! I'm also ichikonohakko at tumblr :D

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Breaking Repetitions](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9898025) by [xAlicexLunax (Alice_Luna)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alice_Luna/pseuds/xAlicexLunax)




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